RagDoll wrote:Perhaps, generally speaking, people in the north feel there is more of a north/south divide and feel very 'northern' because economically there is a divide. Obviously the north (and north east in particular) was hit very hard when big industries such as ship building etc. started to disappear, which left a lot of people unemployed. Although I think we have bridged the gap a bit, we've still got higher unemployment rates etc. etc. than the south.

I think the North is more assiciated with "dirty" industries (coal mining, ship building) than the South. I live next to a old ship building yard - which recently closed down; there is another one on the other side of the river; I admit they don't look "pretty" but I love them. I also live next to a HUGE siemens factory. Half of which was knocked down recently; the other half is still going - but that is also a "dirty" industry. I wouldn't think the north is famous for banking/stocks and shares as London is. I also live next to a lot of offshore engineering factories, a pipe factory, LOTS of valve companies - but I guess this is because I'm a stones throw from the river and the North sea (ok a large stones throw). It's all manual work.

Yeh, you're right. A lot of those industries have declined quite dramatically though, so obviously the north-east has to find alternative industries/means of employment. I know Middlesbrough keeps spouting forth about creative/digital industries and the University of Teesside runs a lot of courses which would prepare people for jobs in that field.

Yeh, if the industry is there to support them (can't imagine it will be with media/photography, but perhaps some of the other creative and digital fields) that won't be so bad. It just depends if there's employment there to support the graduates.

They might have Oxford and Cambridge, but we're not far behind with Durham, York etc. Plus, if we were considering Scotland, Edinburgh is an excellent uni too.

It is true that we in the south have Cambridge + Oxford uni's but alot of snobbery goes with them, and despite the uni's reputation their graduates are not really the smartest people you're likely to meet.

I saw your lake district photos, ragdoll. They are very nice. Its a nice part of the country. I was looking at some photos on flickr of the lake district from the air the other day and it looks amazing from up there.

The trouble is Britain seems to be dropping the manual work and going for a more service based industry, but the trouble is the UK isnt that great at providing services neither - it all starts out promising but then theres cut backs here and there and then theres a shortness of staff etc.

Remember how the runway lights looked one night long ago when you were lost and found your way, and how-you still dont know?

captainf wrote:it all starts out promising but then theres cut backs here and there

Then they realise it's cheaper to send it abroad.

Where my dad works; the work they do costs at least a half of what it does here to move it to Holland. My dad's place are literally hanging on for dear life (as they have been all of my life). He works for a large international company - they bought everyone fish and chips the other day for getting an order out on time haha. They bought cream cakes for everyone the following week becasue they'd won an order - the order is about 5-6 weeks worth. On the plus side the little "treats" are very nice.

captainf wrote:It is true that we in the south have Cambridge + Oxford uni's but alot of snobbery goes with them, and despite the uni's reputation their graduates are not really the smartest people you're likely to meet.

Oh I know about the snobbery - I went to uni with a girl from Cambridge - she was very snobby and she didn't even go to the uni. I also went to uni with a girl from Oxford - she was convinced they were sooooo poor - they are farmers; all the 3 kids have been send to private school and had all their uni paid for - "poor farmers indeed" - however she was down to earth.

I've watched University Challenge between Oxford and Cambridge a few times - I never come away from a TV programme feeling so stupid after watching that programme. I don't like it!

Id be interested to know whether anyone has voted for the north but they actually live in the south,or vice versa.Or is everyone being loyal to their own area?It might be a case of more pprs are from the south and thats why it has more votes so far

I live in a garden city in the south so I can't agree it's more built up. We have lots of large open spaces, lakes, reervoirs and canals reletively near. Now London to me is very congested and I used to work there and hate it. I am definately not a village type as they are too small a community and everyone knows everyones business ( I grew up in a village) but I like to live in a town with access to all amentities. I find London just too overcrowded in the main and far too bustly. I like to go at hundred mile an hour but just find no peace in London generally.I have been to sheffield and cumbria so have been north. I found, just from my experience, there does seem to be an obvious feature of less money up north, in a general sense. The houses seem smaller and closer together and I was very aware of the industry environment in Sheffield. Cumbria again had the smaller houses but some amazing countryside. I once visited a place just off the M62, sorry the name escapes me, it was very dingy and obviously a poor area and was surprised at the lack of green space. I always consider the north to have more green space but believe me there is plenty in the south too.There will always be exceptions but I think it is generally accepted their is more wealth in the south as a whole and with that more jobs etc.However I don't think you can truly say what is better if you haven't lived in both places for a relatively good period of time and also peoples own wants and need means some areas will suit some better than others.

Sheffield is historically an industrial town, so I am not surprised you noticed the industry there, it's not indicative of everywhere in the north though (which I am sure you realise, just pointing it out ).

I think Cumbria is quite unique as well because a lot of the houses in the villages/towns around there (thinking of the Lakes here mostly) are oldish and cute little cottages. Some of the houses which actually abut the lakes are huge though.

There are some pretty massive houses in the town I was brought up in, but it is an affluent area.

Massive houses here; I drive past them every day to and from work! Even the "small" houses across the street are big. We also have Ponteland *sticks nose in the air in a snobby way* which is where a lot of the footballers live.